New York City Council Democrats Won’t Override Mayor’s Support of Bally’s Bronx
Posted on: August 5, 2025, 10:02h.
Last updated on: August 5, 2025, 02:08h.
- The New York City Council isn’t expected to override Mayor Eric Adams’ veto
- Adams’ veto allowed the Bally’s Bronx casino bid to continue
- Bally’s Bronx is a proposed $4 billion development at Ferry Point
The Democrat-controlled New York City Council isn’t expected to vote on a possible override of Mayor Eric Adams’ veto that allowed the Bally’s Bronx bid to go on.
Last Wednesday, Adams vetoed a 29-9 City Council decision against allowing part of the city-owned Ferry Point Park to be rezoned for a commercial enterprise. Bally’s Corp. has managed the city-owned Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point since acquiring the operations from The Trump Organization in 2023 for a reported $60 million.
The councilors who voted on Bally’s land-use application sided with Republican NYC Councilor Kristy Marmorato, whose 13th District includes the Bronx, who has been a steadfast opponent of allowing a Las Vegas-like casino to be built on the public parkland. Adams vetoed the council’s vote on claims that the Bronx should be given the same full consideration for such an economic opportunity as other targeted boroughs.
The City Council can override Adams’ veto with a two-thirds majority, or 34 votes. The New York Daily News reports that “multiple sources familiar with the matter” say the Democrats, who control 45 of the council’s 51 seats, won’t seek an override.
Insiders say it would be difficult for Democratic leaders to rally up the needed votes, as many councilors are on vacation. The Bally’s Bronx plan additionally has supporters and opponents on both sides of the political aisle.
Adams Criticism
The mayor is an underdog to win a second and final four-year term. The once-popular Democrat has turned Independent amid a myriad of controversies and scandals that included a since-dropped federal indictment on allegations that he accepted bribes from Turkey.
The 2025 NYC mayoral odds suggest Adams’ time in the Gracie Mansion will end on Jan. 1, 2026. His revival of the Bally’s Bronx bid following the City Council’s land-use application rejection, which essentially killed the $4 billion proposal, has raised some eyebrows.
Some speculate Adams is seeking to find favor among President Donald Trump’s administration for an appointment of some sort next year. If Bally’s Bronx receives one of the three downstate New York casino licenses, The Trump Organization would receive a $115 million payment from Bally’s, a condition of its selling of the Ferry Point Golf Links.
There’s also the rumor that Adams is giving back to two of his longtime allies and advisors, attorney Vito Pitta and the mayor’s former chief of staff and campaign chair, Frank Carone. Pitts and Carone are working on the Bally’s NYC bid.
Council Speaker Blasts Adams
New York City Council leadership hasn’t confirmed the reports that they won’t seek a vote to override Adams’ veto. But NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) issued a statement regarding the mayor’s actions.
If the mayor wants to do the casino applicant’s work for them and carry their water with all his conflicts of interest, that’s his decision,” a spokesperson for the speaker told the New York Daily News.
Bally’s Bronx is one of eight bids for the three available casino concessions. The others are Caesars Palace Times Square (Caesars Entertainment), Freedom Plaza (Mohegan), The Avenir (Rush Street Gaming, Greenwood Gaming), The Coney (Chickasaw Nation, Saratoga Casino Holdings), Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Metropolitan Park (Hard Rock International), Resorts World New York City (Genting), and Empire City Casino (MGM Resorts).
The New York Gaming Facility Location Board is expected to render the winners by December 1. First, each project’s Community Advisory Committee must vote in a two-thirds majority before the application can go before the state board.
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